Some trips are really more about the journey than the destination. We’ve visited Maui several times but always postponed the road to Hana journey for several reasons. We finally decided to do the trip a few weeks ago and it was definitely worth the wait. Here are the 25+ amazing stops and attractions on the road to Hana. Most of these we did and a few we need to do on our return trip.
It is a 64-mile long one way drive from central Maui to Hana on Routes 36 and 360. It’s an arduous trip with about 620 curves and switchbacks, 59 bridges (46 of them are one lane) as you navigate through streams and gulches.
It can take almost a full day especially with the suggested stops here. These stops and attractions are in the order of how we saw or passed them. Though, we highly recommend stopping at many of these attractions even for just a little bit. The scenery along the way is truly spectacular that make this journey so worth it no matter how intimidating it may seem.
- See the sea turtles below. Don’t miss the sea turtles sunbathing after you make a right from the Hookipa State Park parking lot. You can actually see some of them from the overlook. Park at the beach area and walk towards the right side to see them up close.
3. Rainforest Drive Through. As you start driving past Mile Marker 0 of the Hana Highway, you enter into the rainforest area. It is lush and tropical with plenty of tree canopies that make this a very pleasant drive for the first hour. It’s a way to ease visitors into what is coming ahead. We also marveled at the feat and manpower to create this road. What was once dirt roads were fully paved in the 1960s.
4. Twin Falls. This is one of the more popular stops along this road. We actually stopped here a few years ago when we attempted to do this trip and made it as far as Mile Marker 9 due to time restrictions. It’s one of the first attraction visitors see at around Mile Marker 2 and it is easily accessible with parking.
Parking is $10 per car on the lot on a first come first serve basis with only about 55 spaces. Please do not park along the road shoulders. The trail is about 1.8 miles roundtrip with mostly dirt road (which can get quite muddy) with some water crossing.
We made it as far as the the lower part of the falls before since the upper portion is a bit more challenging. We saw visitors swim under the waterfalls so add another hour to your trip if you’re doing a hike and swim here.
5. Rainbow Eucalyptus trees. Around Mile Marker 7, you’ll see a row of multi-colored trunks of large eucalyptus trees on the left side. Unfortunately, there is no parking to stop and see the trees up close since it is on private property. But, there are other areas along the road to see them up close.
6. Garden of Eden. The Garden of Eden Arboretum is a wonderful place to stop by to stretch your legs and stroll in plant paradise. The garden is filled with Native Hawaiian plants as well as other tropical plants and trees from around the world.
There are 2.5 miles of trails around the arboretum with plenty of ocean views, an art gallery and a cafe. They charge a modest entrance fee but it goes towards the maintenance of the park and helping their surrounding community.
7. Waterfalls. One of my favorite parts on the Road to Hana are seeing the many waterfalls along the road. Some are a trickle and some are a bit stronger. We lost count on the number of waterfalls we saw. Slow down and take some photos if there’s no one behind you. Some waterfalls also have one or two car parking spots to pull over and see the falls a little closer.
8. Kaumahina State Wayside Park. If you need to take a break from the drive, this park would be a good pit stop. It has restrooms plus a view of the coast if you go on the hiking trail. Unfortunately, it was closed during our drive.
9. Stop for the views. During the drive, we caught several glimpses of the ocean and coastal scenery in between the clearings. There will be some occasional overlooks with safe parking areas. Don’t just pass by, make a quick stop to enjoy the views. It’s also a good excuse to stretch your legs.
10. Honomanu Bay. We caught a glimpse of this black sand bay on some clearings between Mile Markers 13 and 14. There were some pullouts to see the bay from afar. Unless you have a big truck or a 4×4 rental car, the beach can be accessed via a steep and sometimes muddy dirt road.
There is an access road by the pullout half a mile after Mile Marker 13 for a five-minute walk down to the beach. The beach isn’t for swimming but more for fishermen and surfers. If you have time, it’s a great stop to see a not too crowded black sand beach.
11. Keanae Arboretum. We recommend spending a few minutes and stopping at Keanae Arboretum a little past Mile Marker 16. It is free admission and offers a wonderful collection of tropical plants. We enjoyed walking around here. It is one of the best places to see a rainbow eucalyptus up close. Visitors can also follow trail terraces of Hawaiian farmers where they grew taro. Parking is on an area off the highway.
12. Keanae Peninsula. This area is so worth the detour. This was once and ancient fishing village and now a small community with taro fields. We took the road that led to the peninsula after Mile Marker 16. We passed by a small village but kept driving until we reached a large park with plenty of parking spaces.
This is a fantastic area to watch the strong waves crash against the lava rocks. It’s such a beautiful place to enjoy the coastline views and the beauty of Maui’s rugged coastline.
The park has a restroom which is quite important on finding doing this trip. Don’t miss seeing the 150-year old stone church.
13. Halfway to Hana. We sighed a bit of a relief after getting to this halfway point at Mile Marker 17. Don’t miss this stop. There is a sign for your social media posts and a small store selling food and drinks. We’ve read many recommendations to buy the banana bread and of course, we had to listen to the masses. It was a bit pricey at $8 but it was delicious. It was definitely one of the best we’ve tasted and it makes for a great snack during the drive.
14. Wailua Valley Lookout. Keep an eye out for this overlook on your left side/ocean side of the road about a quarter mile past the Wailua Valley State Wayside Park (which was closed) past Mile Marker 18. This offered a wonderful scenic view of the coastline and the Wailua village with the taro fields.
15. Puaa Kaa State Wayside Park. Located about half a mile past Mile Marker 22, this park has easy access to waterfalls that drops to pools ideal for dipping and cooling down. There are also restrooms and covered picnic areas here.
16. Nahiku. This small community was once the site of the Nahiku rubber company. But, the only reason most visitors stop here is to get some food and drinks for the road. There were a variety of food vendors as well as some retailers at the marketplace. If you haven’t figured out what lunch is yet, get some items to go here. Unfortunately, we were here too early when we passed by before 10 AM so many of the stores were still closed.
17. Hana Lava Tube. If you need a bit of a cool down and want to head underground, the Hana Lave Tube makes for a great stop. It is located past Mile Marker 31 and is dubbed as “Maui’s Great Natural Wonder”. There is an entrance fee of $15 but free for children 5 years and younger.
Self-guided tours can be done which take about 40 minutes. The lava tube was formed over 900 years ago when molten lava flowed towards the ocean. There are various stalagmites and stalactites to see along the route. There is also a unique Red Ti Botanical Garden Maze on the premises. We didn’t make it to the lava tube but we’re definitely adding this for our return trip.
18. Wai’ānapanapa State Park. For many, visiting this park is a main highlight on the Road to Hana. Spend at least an hour or two when exploring the park.The most popular attraction is the black sand beach or Pa’Iloa Beach. Though, the sand is actually black pebbles.
Don’t miss going through the small lava tube at the end of the black sand beach. It required squatting in one part but well worth it to get through the opening to watch the powerful waves crash through the rocks here. Reservations are needed when entering the park. The most popular times when we were looking seem to be between 10 AM and 1 PM. They are usually in three-hour increments.
We loved this park and enjoyed walking along the coastline with its jagged volcanic rocks along the cliffs. Look for the blow hole in the distance and the sea arch. There are a couple of short trails hiking around the bay. There were several picnic benches so this was a great place to have a lunch stop. Try to park closest to black sand beach on left lot after the entrance. This was one of our favorite stops.
19. Fruit stands. We saw several unattended fruit stands around Hana and outside the Waianapanapa State park in front of local residents’ homes. I grew up with many of these tropical fruits in Guam so I made sure to stop at many of them. There are some with prices and were usually based on an honor system. Don’t miss stopping at these stands for some delicious fruit which make great snacks.
20. Hana. You’d expect the destination town of this famous road to be a bustling hub of activity. On the contrary, Hana is a quiet, charming town and that’s just how the locals prefer it. There’s not much to this town. We stopped at the bay and wharf area. There were several picnic benches here so this would make a great place to have lunch.
If you have some time and are interested, there are some flower farms to tour like Nahiku Farms or Hana Tropicals. The Hana Cultural Center is also a great place to learn about the area’s history and culture and to see some artifacts.
21. Hasegawa Store. This area is another great food truck stop with many parked here. This is a local supermarket and nearby is Hana’s only gas station. We also stopped at Hana Ranch across the street which was another small convenience store. They do sell food bento boxes but only on weekdays.
22. Koki Beach and Alau Island. About a half mile past Mile Marker 51 is a small road called Haneo’o Road. We didn’t really plan to stop here but the signs for some “Huli Huli Chicken” prompted us to turn. We found Koki Beach with a small park and picnic tables that looked out into the tiny ‘Alau Island a short distance from the shore. The cone shaped island has coconut trees on top of it and is a popular place for the “iwa” seabirds to visit.
23. Hamoa Beaches. This public beach looked beautiful and we wished we had more time to stop and enjoy it. If you have time, spend some time here or stop for a swim or a picnic.
24. Lava Walls. As we were driving along the road from Hana to Haleakala National Park ’s Kipahuli side, we saw several lava rock piles that were used to separate properties. Also, keep an eye out for white statues of Virgin Mary in grottos on properties and along the road. It’s a testament to the religious community in this area.
25. Wailua Falls. We passed by many waterfalls along this drive but the one that was easily accessible from the road and most attractive was Wailua Falls around Mile Marker 45. Surrounded by the rainforest and so much lust vegetation, the waterfalls cascaded 80 feet down.
There is also a trail for those who want to see the waterfalls up close but it was very muddy. There was a small parking area right after the bridge.
Haleakala National Park – Kipahulu Side
Once you’ve reached Hana, some feel like they’ve completed this infamous journey. But, we highly recommend continuing past Hana for another 30+ minutes to the Kipahulu side of Haleakala National Park. Many know Haleakala National Park for the crater and the incredible views for sunrise or sunset on the Summit District. But, the Kipahulu side is a contrast of the more visited side of the park with more lush landscape and also unique attractions.
26. Pipiwai Trail to Seven Sacred Pools. The most popular attraction and easily accessible here is the Seven Sacred Pools or Pools of Oheo. This cascading waterfall leads to the black sand shoreline and the rugged coast. Though, there really aren’t seven pools and may actually be over 20 pools.
And this isn’t really considered sacred by the Hawaiians either. It was supposedly named “sacred” by some marketing folks to get tourists to keep traveling past Hana and venture to the national park. I’d say the marketing ploy has worked quite well.
The trail starts by the visitor’s center. The pathway went through some vegetation and along the cliff facing the coast. Visitors can wade or swim in the pools but is highly dependent on water conditions.
Unfortunately, the park ranger informed us the pools were closed when we entered. The cliff area had incredibly scenery and we really could have spent all afternoon watching the waves here.
27. Bamboo Forest. The Pipiwai Trail is actually four miles roundtrip with a 650 ft elevation. Considered one of the best hikes and trails in Maui, there is a lot to see on this trail with streams, lush jungles and waterfalls along the way. We hiked the first mile of this trail to the Bamboo forest.
The trail for the most part was flat that traverses through the jungle. Unfortunately, it had just rained and most of the trail was muddy which got a little challenging in some areas trying to bypass some large puddles or trying not to get too muddy. We passed by this giant banyan tree which provided the ideal shaded area for resting and a popular place for kids to climb.
We passed some small waterfalls but the 200-ft Makahiku Falls was quite impressive. You’ll know you’re at the bamboo forest after crossing a bridge that looked like it was going into a cave flanked by bamboos. We climbed some steps until we found ourselves in the bamboo forest. There was such a sense of calmness here despite people passing on the trails.
It was easy enough to find some pockets on the bamboo groves where we had it to ourselves. This was well worth the hike. Many visitors continue on the trail for another mile to the Waimoku Falls overlook. We’ll have to finish this hike on a return trip.
Tips for doing the Road to Hana trip
*Download GyPSy app. Our #1 tip for this journey is to download the GyPSy on your smart phone before you start this drive. For less than $10, this was our invaluable companion guide as we drove on the Road to Hana. You won’t get any cell reception on most areas of the drive. But, this will give you the attractions and must stops along the way and uses the GPS locator so you know what’s coming up. The narrator was very entertaining and it is full of information on local culture and history.
*Start Early. Beat the crowds and you’re guaranteed to see more during this trip. We started this drive at 6:30 AM from the Wailea resorts area and left Haleakala Park at 3:30 PM. Even with our many stops in between, lunch and even some short hikes, we accomplished a lot in one day.
*Pack snacks, drinks or food for a picnic. There are some stores along the way but it’s better to bring your own food and drinks especially during the drive. Go shopping the night before at any of Maui’s stores (i.e. Foodland, Safeway, Walmart, etc.)T he route has many areas with beautiful picnic spots and some with great views.
*Gas Up. The town of Paia is your last chance for a full service gas station and one at a reasonable rate before you head to Hana. There is a gas station in Hana too but prices are higher. Paia is also a good place to stock up on food and drinks and is a wonderful stop for dinner too.
*Pack essential items. If you’re going to be hiking, bring closed toe or hiking shoes, sunscreen and bug spray/mosquito repellant. Please keep in mind that many trails can get quite muddy.
*Bring some rain gear. While it may be nice and sunny one minute, it can rain quickly too by the time you get to your destination. We were caught in several downpours that lasted for a few minutes and the sun came out shortly afterwards. This part of Maui is wetter and you are passing through some rainforests so come prepared.
*Carry cash. Many of the stores along the way are small mom and pop stores. Bring some cash for buying food, drinks or souvenirs along the road or at fruit stands. Some areas may also not have cell service to use your phone for payment or for credit card transactions.
*Alleviate Motion sickness. Those prone to car or motion sickness should come prepared and bring some things to help. Some remedies that have worked for us in the past include taking non-drowsy dramamine, drinking some ginger ale, eating a green apple or chewing gum.
*Follow the driving etiquette. There are many one lane bridges along this route. Local driving etiquette is to allow cars to pass in the order they arrive. Please don’t block the roads if you decide to stop and take photos.
Let the locals pass who are not here for leisurely drives. You’ll know since they seem to be driving a bit faster than everyone else and most likely need to get somewhere. If you see a line of more than two cars behind you, please let them pass too to keep traffic moving along. There are some pull out areas along the roads.
*Obey the rules. There are plenty of no parking or no trespassing signs along the road and especially at private properties. Please respect these rules and the locals.
*Be mindful of belongings. Please keep your belongings or anything valuable out of plain sight. Take them with you or lock them in the trunk. Break-ins are known to happen along the attractions.
*Know the Store Hours. Many stores along the route are closed on Sunday. Keep this in mind if you’re traveling there that day. We actually went on a Sunday thinking it may be less busy but didn’t realize this. Though, some food trucks and stores in the stops I mentioned above were still open. Depending on when you’re heading back to Maui, some stores also close early or by 3 PM.
*Pick your route back wisely. You have the option to turn around after Hana or Haleakala National Park to head back on the same road you came in. The advantage to this is hitting some areas you may have missed or attractions that were still closed. We did this option and didn’t regret it. The other option is to go on the backside of Haleakala making it a big loop road trip and seeing new scenery. Though, this road is less developed and isolated. Please check your rental car agreements to make sure you are not violating anything since some car agencies don’t allow their cars to go on this road.
*Stay Overnight. We did this drive as a roundtrip in one day starting very early and making it back in time for dinner in central Maui. We would love to stay overnight in Hana or neighboring towns and making this a two or three day trip when we decide to do this journey again. We’re not the camping type but if you are, there are camping options at Wainapanapa State Park.
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